Gate-latch.



]. PORTESI.

em LATCH.

APPLICATION F,ILEDJUNEI5.'19I7.

LWAM. Patented Mar; 26, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- J. POHTESI. GATE LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 15. I917.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

[IP03 TEE!" JULIUS PORTESI, F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

GATE-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1W1.

. Application filed June I5, 1917. Serial No. 174,978.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIUS Ponansr, acitizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles,'- in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate- Latches'; and I do declare the following to a be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled 4 and use the same.

in the art towhich it appertains to make My invention relates to improvements in latches and more particularly to gatelatches and one object of the invention is to provide positive means are provided V the keeper of the latch.

an improved latch of this character'in which for actuating Another object of the invention is to provide in a latch of this character improved mechanism whereby a positive thrust will be imparted to certain parts thereof in order I to open the gate when the latch is raised. 7 A further object of the invention is to provide an improved latch in which all parts are readily accessible and which may be 7 readily-operated, and which is simple, cheap to manufacture and readily applied.

form a part of this application and in which:

Figure l is a rear elevation of a gate showingrmy latch as applied;

ig. 2 is a front elevation;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portion of the gate post illustrating more in detail the mechanism of the latch;

Fig. 4 is a face view of the latch member;

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of Fig. 3; r Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 6; and,

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the keeper spring. In the accompanying drawings-I have illustrated my improved latch as applied to a gate of the ordinary type comprising a. horizontal swinging gate G and a stationary latch carrying post P. In detail the invention comprises a metal tongue 1 fastened to one side of the gate and having a laterally offset enlarged head 2 projecting beyond the end thereof and adapted to swing below a stud 3 projecting laterally from the post P and secured at one end to a face plate a suitably attached to the post so as to dispose the stud above the tongue 2. Vertically disposed on the post and suitably attached thereto at its lower end is a leaf spring 5 having its upper end disposed in the path of travel of the head 2 of the gate and tongue so that when the latch mechanism to be described, is raised the spring 5 will force the head 2 away from the post and cause the gate to swing open.

Attached to the stud 3 is a keeper for the gate tongue, comprising a substantially U- shaped bar 6 straddling the top of the stud tegrally connected ends to a point disposed in laterally spaced relation from the post P, where they are bent upwardly in a vertical plane substantially parallel with the post to form the arms 7 which will provide a suitable keeper having an outer inclined face and an inner vertically disposed face spaced a suflicient distance from the gate post to retain the head 2 of the tongue when the gate is closed.

The straddling support of the bend of the U of the keeper bar limits the downward movement of the keeper and will dispose the lower end thereof directly in the path of travel of the head 2 of the gate tongue so that when the gate is swung closed the tongue will ride on the inclined outer face of the bar 7 and lift the keeper, permitting the same to drop behind the tongue when it has traveled a sufficient distance toward the post. The spring5 will then act to hold the tongue securely against the vertically disposed flat face of the keeper and in order to provide apositive means for insuring direct action of the keeper and preventing accidental dislodgment thereof, I provide a spring tongue or leaf spring 8 secured at one. end to a laterally projecting lug 9 carried by a shoulder 10 extending upwardly from the outer end of the stud 8. end of the spring 8 bears against one of the arms 7 and will tend to normally hold the keeper in lowered operative position. The arms 7 of the keeper bar are merged above the bend of the U and extended upwardly to provide a handle 11 suitably spaced from one side of the gate post and above the stud. so that the keeper may be readily lifted. by inserting the finger beneath the handle and lifting the keeper against the tension o spring 8. Um i Secured to the opposite face of the gate post and in alinement with the face plate a is a similar face plate 12. The face plates and post are slotted in alinement to provide for the reception therethrough of an open ating lever 13 pivotally mounted within the post on a pivot stud 14: extending transversely therethrough and carrying on the end adjacent the plate 12 a handle 15. The opposite end of the lever is pivotally connected as at 16 to the handle 11 of thekeeper so that when the handle 15 is depressed from the opposite side of the post the keeper will be raised as if the handle 11 were manipulated, thereby providing a means whereby the keeper may be operated from either side of the post. A handgrip 16 is suitably secured on the gate post of the handle 15 of the lever 13 so that a better leverage may be obtained when operating the latch.

In the operation of my improved latch, supposing the gate to be closed, the component parts will be in the position as illus trated in Fig. 3 and when either the handle 11 is raised or the handle 15 depressed the keeper bar will be raised against the tension of the spring 8 permitting the head 2 of the tongue 1 on the gate to be forced outwardly under action of the spring 5 thereby automatically opening the gate and when pressure is relieved from the latch levers the spring 8 will automatically return the keeper to operative osition, its downward movement being limited by the U bend in the keeper bar straddling the stud 3. When the gate is swung closed the head 2 of the gate tongue will ride in on the inclined outer face of the keeper bar, lifting the same against the tension of the spring 8 until it has passed the end of the inclined arm 7, whereupon the .kee er will dro into lowered aosition and V the tongue will be retained between the flat face formed by the arms 7 of the keeper and '60 the gate post and against the tension of the spring 5.

lVhile I have described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings certain specific details and materials entering into the con- The free struction and operation of my improved latch, I desire to be understood that I do not intend to so limit myself to this structure as brought out, but that any changes may be made in the details thereof as will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim: 7

1. A gate latch as described, comprising in combination, a gate, a post, a stud projecting laterally from said post, a bar pivotally connected at one end to the outer end of said stud, the other end of the bar being formed into. a handle and adapted to be supported on said stud, the intermediate portion of said bar extending below said stud and bent to form a keeper, aspring between said stud and bar to normally hold the keeper below said stud, ,a tongue on the gate to swing below said stud and be. retained behind said keeper and a hand lever extending from the opposite side of said post, and connected to the keeper handle.

2. A gate latch as described, comprising in combination, a gate, a p0St.,-a and :projectine laterally from said post, a substantially j shaped arm straddling said stud, the ends ofthe arms of said U being pivotally connected to the outer endlofthe stud with the bend of said U supported by said stud, the arms of said U being inclined downwardly from the pivotally connected ends and bent substantially vertically upward in -l'ateral spaced relation upon the post, to form a keeper below the stud, a lug projecting laterally from said stud, a leafspring secured at one end 'to said lug'and bearing against an arm of said bar, a tongue on the gate to engage the inclined arms and raise said keeper when closing and to be retained between said post and vertical face of the keeper when closed, and handle mechanism on the opposite sides of the post in connection with the keeper.

3. A gate latch as described comprising in combination, a gate, a gate post, a stud projecting laterally; from. Said post, a substantially U-shaped keeper bar straddling said studw'ith the bend thereof supported on the stud tolimit downward movement of the keeper, the arms of saidbar being extended vertically below said stud and in lateral spaced relation from said post and bent at an incline upwardly to'th-e outer end of the stud, pivotal connection between the ends of said arms and outer end of the stud, a leaf spring secured at one {end to the stud and bearing against the arms of said bar to hold said'keeper operative, a handle extending upwardly from said keeper to one side of the post, a handle extending through said tained by the keeper.

4. A gate latch as described comprising a post having a stud projectin laterally therefrom, a bar having one en pivotally connected to the outer end of said stud, the other end of the bar being formed into a handle the intermediate portion of said bar extending below said stud and bent to form a keeper, a spring disposed between said keeper to normally .hold the keeper below the stud, a tongue on the gate to swing below said stud and be retained behind said keeper,

an operating bar pivotally connected to the keeper and extending through an aperture in said gate post, a stud disposed crosswise in said aperture and extending through a slot in said operating bar and a handle on theother hand of the operating bar whereby when said handle is depressed said bar will slide on last mentioned stud and raise said keeper.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JULIUS PORTESI.

Witnesses:

EMIL SARRO, EUGENE G. JORDAN.

fiopiea of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

